Slug-trimming knife



Dec. 24, 1929. s. E. SPERRY SLUG TRIMMING KNIFE Filed March 24. 1928 2' Sheets-Sheet 1 wueuto'a Samuel E. Sperry,

Dec. 24, 1929. s. E. SPERRY ,7

SLUG TRIMMING KNIFE Filed March 24, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mam TIE. 5

3 Jamie/E. Sperry,

Patented Dec. 24, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SAMUEL E. SPERRY, OF HOLLIS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO INTERTYPE CORPORATION OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK SLUG-TRIMMING KNIFE Application filed March 24, 1928.

The present invention relates to improvements in knives for trimming the sides of slugs or type bars produced in line casting machines to bring such slugs to the proper thickness to conform with desired type sizes.

Heretofore, it has been customary to cast slugs which varied in thickness in accordance with the full pointsizes employed generally in the printing art to designate standard type sizes, and the knives used in line casting machines have consequently been providedwith means for setting them in accordance with such full point or standard type sizes in order to trim the sides of the slugs and thus bring them to the exact full point or standard sizes for which the knives were set.

A demand for type faces which will permit of condensing printed matter however has called into service matrices or matrix characters of fractional point sizes, this being especially so in the smaller type commonly used in newspaper printing, and it has been found desirable to cast such fractional size type faces on slugs which are trimmed to corresponding fractional points of thickness.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide means whereby the slug trimming knife of a line casting machine may be set to trim the slugs or type bars to such fractional point sizes with the same speed and facility as has been possible in the setting of such knives for the usual or full polnt sizes.

Another object is to provide means of this character which is capable of being applied to trimming knives on existing line casting machines or to trimming knives of the kinds heretofore used, with minimum change, labor and expense, and without weakening or impairing the accuracy of setting of 'such knives.

To these and other ends, the invention con sists in certain improvements and combina tions and arrangements of parts all as will be,

hereinafter more fully described, the features of novelty being pointed out particularly in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of Serial No. 264,354.

a slug trimming knife embodying fractional point setting means therefor in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 represents on an enlarged scale an elevation of the setting means shown in Fig. 1

1 as viewed from the right in that figure;

Fig. 3 is a top view of the setting device, parts thereof being shown in section or broken away;

Fig. 1 represents a section taken radially through the knife adjusting member and the cooperative set ing device, the setting device being shown engaged with the adjusting member in full lines and disengaged therefrom in dotted lines;

Fig. 5 represents a section taken on the line 55 of Fig. 4 and looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view illustrating how the knife adjusting member is set for trimming slugs to the usual full point size and for different fractional point sizes.

Similar parts'are designated by the same reference characters in the several views.

Slug trimming knives of the general class to which the present invention is applied are used in typographical machines of the class shown and described in Letters Patent No. 436,532 granted September 16, 1890 to O. Mergenthaler, the knife being positioned to receive each slug or type bar as it is ejected from the mold in whichit is cast and operative to trim the sides of the slug so that each slug will be of the exact thickness or type size for which the knife is set. The invention is shown in the present instance as applied to a slug trimming knife of the kind shown and described in Letters Patent No. 1,426,231 granted August 15, 1922 to S. E. Sperry, to which reference is made for a disclosure of the complete construction and mode of operation of the knife. For the purposes of the present invention, it is believed sufficient to point out that 1 represents the knife block which is adapted to be bolted or otherwise secured rigidly to the frame of the machine, the knife block carrying a movable knife blade adapted to be arranged opposite to a stationary knife blade, the space between the knife blades providing a passageway through which the slug is forced while it is being ejected from the mold, and the knife blades acting to trim the sides of the slug to the proper thickness of type size. The movable knife blade is adjusted in a direction toward or from the stationary blade, in setting the knife to trim slugs to'different thicknesses or type sizes, by an adjusting member 2which-1s in .the form of a ring which is attached to a set of grooves or notches3 which are grade- -ated or spaced'circumferentially of said mem her in accordance witl i the settings of the mc vab'le knife bladefor the trimming of the sings to the-usual or' ful-l-peint thicknesses.

f Heretofore', an ordinary-latch ordetent was mounted on thestationary knife block and wasengaged with one or-another of the grooves or notches in the adjusting member,

the detent'being thus ca'pable of setting and I holdingthe' adjusting member in any one of a number of positions each of which however" corresponded with a usual full point type size'; :The present invention provides means whereby the knife-adjusting member can be set not only for the various usual full point" 1 type size 'but:can also be set fo'rthe trimming of slugs to fractional point sizes. Itconr prises "a detent-member for holdingthe adj Listing 1 member in I different adjusted -positionsyon-e of -these-members having graduations thereon which correspond with fractions of the usualfull pointtype sizes where by the knife may beset not'only for the usual full point sizes but also for'fractional POiIlt' SlZGS The preferred setting means as shown in thepresent instance comprises a fractional p'ointsizes so that when a selected tooth of the detent is engaged with a selected groove or notch in the adjusting member, the

latter will beset for the full point setting correspondingwith the engaged groove or notch plus the fractional point setting represented by the teeth of thedetent'which engages such groove or'notch.

The detent. as shown. comprises a bracket wlfiich may be secured to the knife block 1 .ascrews 5, in these-me position but asa substitute for the detent previously used, the

' bracketbeingsecured to apart of the knife blec'zk' opposite to the adjusting ring or member2 and a portion of the bracket overlying the grooved or notched periphery of said ring or member. The overhanging portion of the bracket is formed with a slot 6 which is radial to the adjusting ring 2, and this slot is adapted to receive and accurately fit any one of a number of bladeswhich' carry the differently located teeth of the detent. Preferably, the multi-toothed detent comprises a member 7 having blades 8 projecting radially from itscenter, the bladesbeing of a number corresponding with the number of fractional settings which it is desired to secure. The member 7 is formed with a sleeve-like handle Qwhich-extends beyond the end of the bracket which overhangs the adjusting ring 2, this handlebeing alin'ed with the axis of'the member 7 and itmav be knurled at its extremity, as

shown. so' thatit-may be grippedand turned by the fingers of the operator. The member 7' is revolubly n'ioun'ted on a shaft 10,-and the latter is pivotally connected to the bracket 4 by a transverse pin 11 so that the shaft and the 1 detent member thereon may be swung from the full line position to the dot-ted line position shown in Fig. 4 and vice versa. While the detent member occupies the dotted line posit-ion shown in Fig. l, it may be'rotated to bring any one of its blades'into 'alinement with'the slot 6 in the bracket; and the detent member may then be swung into the full line eosition shown in-zFig. 4', the selected b'lade of the detent member entering the slotl6 and being accurately positioned therein.

Each blade 8 of the detent member. 7 is provided with a tooth or rib 12 on its lower or'peripheral edgewhich is adapted to fit closely into one or another of the grooves or notches 3 in the adjusting member 2, 1 but these teeth are locatedmlifferently on theidifferent-blades to conform with different fractional point settings of the adjacent member 2.

1 For example, as in the present instance where the detent isadapted for the setting of the knife adjusting member 2 for the trimming of slugs to the usual full point size and to quarter fractional sizes, the detent member 7 is formed with'four blades and: the teeth 12 on-the different blades are located in different positions on the outer edges of these lades to conform with the respective settings of the adjacent member '2 for the correspond ing fractional point type sizes. By reference to the diagram shown in Fig. (3, it will be observed that 'the' 'tooth' on the blade marked 1 registers with the selected'groove '3 1n the ad acent member21 when said groove has been brought to thepoint indicated by the line 13, the adjusting'memberbeing then set to position-the knife bladess'o' that'the slugs will-be trimmed to a usual full point size;

When the tooth on the blade marked 4* is engaged with'a groove 3 inthe'adjusting member, said groove will occupy the-position'in'di'cated by the line 14:, and the adjusting-memberwillthen set the knife to trim the slugs to a quarter of a size larger than the full point size corresponding with the setting 13. Similarly, when the tooth of the blade marked or the tooth marked is engaged with the groove or notch 3 in the adjusting membe 2, said groove or notch will occupy the position indicated by the line 15 or the line 16 respectively, and the adjustof slugs one half or three quarters of a size larger than the setting represented by the line 13.

The detent may be readily rotated by means of its sleeve 9 to bring any one of its blades into position to enter the slot 6 in the bracket and to engage the adjusting member 2, when the detent is swung into the dotted line position shown in Fig. 4. Means is preferably provided for yieldingly retaining the detent either in said dotted line position to facilitate rotation of the detent or in the full line position shown in Fig. 4 and thus maintain the detent in locking engagement with the adj usting member 2. Such means is shown in the present instance, it comprising a compressed spring 17 one end of which abuts against a wall 18 of the bracket & and the opposite end of which abuts against a crank arm 19 which is rigid with the shaft 10 and extends at an angle thereto, the pressure of the spring against the crank arm 19 acting to maintain the detent in its operative position as shown by the full lines in Fig. 4 and the pressure of the spring acting on the crank arm to maintain the detent in its inoperative position as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 4 after the detent has been shifted into that position. Excess movement of the detent past its raised or inoperative position is prevented by the engagement of the crank arm 19 against the bottom wall of the bracket 4. A rod 20 may be pivotally connected at 21 to the springengaged end of the crank arm 19 and may reciprocate through and rock in an opening 22 formed in the rear end of the bracket 4, this rod occupying a position within the spring, which is preferably of the helical or coiled type, and serving to maintain the spring in proper position.

Knife setting means constructed as hereinbefore described enables the knife to be set for fractional point sizes with the same speed and facility as is possible in the setting of such knives to the usual full point size. To set the adjusting member 2 for any fractional point type size, it is only necessary for the operator to swing the detent from the full line to the dotted li -e position shown in Fig. 4 and rotate the detent to bring the blade bearing the desired fractional designation into alinement with the slot 6 in the bracket, to rotate the adjusting member 2 to bring the selected groove or notch 3 therein beneath the slot 6 and to then return the detent to the full line position shown in 111g member will then be set for the trimming 4E engaging the tooth on the selected blade of the detent in the selected groove or notch in the member 2. For example, if it is desired to set the knife to trim slugs to a thickness of 5 points, the detent is rotated to bring the blade marked into position to enter the slot 6 and the adjusting member 2 is rotated until the groove or notch therein corresponding with the full 5 point setting is registered with the tooth on the selected detent blade, and when the detent is moved into its operative or locking position, the adjusting member 2 will be set so that the knife will trim the slugs to a thickness of 5% points. Any other fractional settings and the full point settings are made in a similar way, the rotation of the detent determining the fractional or full setting of the adjusting member 2.

If desired, a pair of stops 23 may be mounted shiftably around the circumference of the adjusting member 2 and locked thereon by dogs 24 for the purpose of enabling the operator to quickly adjust the knife to one or another of two commonly used settings, these limit stops being locked by the dogs 24 at the appropriate points around the circumference of the member 2 and adapted to abut against one or the other side of the overhanging portion ofthe bracket 4 of the detent when the adjusting member 2 has been brought into one or the other of the two positions for which the stops are set. One of these limit stops, preferably the one exposed at the front of the machine, may be provided with a handle 25 which will serve as conveniently accessible means for rotating the adjusting member 2 during the setting of the knife, this handle being relatively short radially so that it will not interfere with other parts of the machine in which the knife is used.

Knife setting means embodying the present invention may be applied to slug trimming knives to enable them to be adjusted to trim slugs to fractional point sizes as well as the usual full point sizes, without weakening the knives or impairing the accuracy thereof, as the adjusting member will be accurately set and securely held in each of its various positions, and the particular setting means shown may be readily and inexpensively applied to line casting machines which are in use, as the detent employed in this construction herein described may be substituted for the detent previously employed, for full point settings, thereby adapting such knives to the trimming of slugs to fractional point settings as well as to the usual full point settings.

The preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, but it is to be understood that equivalent constructions may be used, and such are included. within the scope of the claims.

iiieinber for adjusting the knife to trimslugs i5 member having setting-controlling gradualin relate invention 1'; Inaslug trim'nnngknlfe fo'rlln'e castjnfachines, the combination of an adjust 111g 'l'nemberfor adjustingthe knife to trim slugs different'sizes, and a setting member cooperativetherewith, one of said members having setting-controlling graduationswhich "correspond with fullpoint type's'izes,a1id one f id members havingothersetting controh tions which correspond \vith full' point type 5 sizes, and'one ofsaid iiien'ibers' having other sett ing-controlling graduation's which corre-,

'sp'ondwitli had one of such'full 'point's'izesQ 7 3 In afslu'gtrmimmg knife for line casting "machines, the combination of an adjusting meiiiber 'for adjusting the knife to 'trim'slugs to difi'erent sizes, and d'etent member for 'whi'ch correspond with full point .t'yp'esizes,

- '"settii and holding the adjusting member in different adjusted positions, one of said memb'e rs having settin and holding graduations and 'one of said members having other set-- "t ingand" holding graduations which corre-" spond wlth fracti'ons of such full peint' sizes.

4; In a slug trimming knifefor line casting "machines, the combination of a' rotatable ad- ;"justin ""'me1nber for adjusting'the knife to trim slugs to'different sizes,andadetent member'fo'r setting and holding'th'e adjusting member in diiferent a-d ustec'l pos1t1ons,t-he

0- usting member-having setting and holding *graduations' thereon which correspond with full point type sizes, and one of said members having etheisetting andholding graduations "which correspond with fractions of such full "point sizes.

5. In a'slugtrimming knife for line casting machines, the 'coi'nbination of a member havgra'du'ations which correspond with settings of'the knife to trim slugs to full point type sizes, and 'a detent having portions which ""conf'orinwith fractional size settings of the saidpor'ti'ons'into cooperation with the grad 6. In a slug trimming knife for line casting "machines, the 'c'omblnatlon of a member hav-i "knife "and movable to bring one or another of uationson said member.

graduations whichcorrespond with full portions which correspond with fractional point type size settings of "the knife, and a *d'e'tent having relatively differently locate-d size settings of 'the' knife T and one or another of'which may be. brought into cooperation witlitlie'gradiiations on said member.

7. 'In"'a-slug trimming knife for line cast- 35 ing machine's,"the combination of a member withs'aid rotatable memberfor setting it in ferent sizes'and having graduations thereon 'lcorresponding with full point type sizes, and

a detent member having portions graduated to correspond" with fractions of such full "point s zes and one or another of which graduations may be broughtinto cooperation Withthe e limates on as adjusting him.

her. v i S. In aslug trimming knife for line casting machines, the combination of a member for'adjusting the knife to trim slugs todif- Qferent; sizes and having graduationsspaced thereon to correspond with'full pointtype size settings of the knifefand a detent'mem ber having a plurality of portions one or 'an "other of which may be brought into cooperation with the graduations on thea'djusting member, said portions of the detent member being relatively differentlylocatedto correspond, when in cooperation with the graduations on the adjusting member, to fractional size settings of the knife. v j

9. In a slug trimming'knife for line casting machines, the combination of a member for adjusting the knife to trim slugs to'different sizes and having notches therein which are spaced to conform with full point type size settings of the knife, and a'rnultitoothed detent movable to bring any one of its teeth into engagement with notch in said member, the teeth of the'deten't being relatively differently located to correspond, when en gagedwith anotch in said member, with fractional size settingsvof thelknife.

'10. In a slug trimming knife for line casting machines,the combination of a knifeadjusting member: having notches therein spaced to correspond with diflerent full point type size settings of the knife, and a coopera tive detent having a plurality of teeth thereon which are relatively differently located to correspond with fractional size settings of the knife, said detent being movable toward and from said member to engage and di en gage one of its teethwith respect to a notch in said member and being rotatable, 'while disengaged from said member, to bring one or another of its teeth into position to'engage said member. a e 4 11. In a slug trimming knife for line casting machines, the combination of a knifeadjust-ingmember having notches therein corresponding with different adjustments of the knife, a relatively fixed bracket adjacent to said member and having a slot therein, and a multi-bladed detent movable withrespect to said bracket to bring one or another of its blades into said slot, the blades of the 'detent having relatively differently located teeth thereon to respectively engage in one or an other of the notches in the adjusting member.

justing member having gradua-tions thereon corresponding with different adjustments of the knife, a relatively fixed bracket adjacent to said member and having a slot therein, a detent member having a plurality of radiallyarranged blades each adapted to fit into said slot in the bracket, said blades having relatively difierently located teeth thereon corresponding with different adjustments of the knife and adapted to cooperate with the graduations on the adjusting member, and means for supporting the detent to move toward and from the adjusting member and for rotation to bring one or another of its blades into position to enter the slot in the bracket.

13. In a slug trimming knife for line casting machines, the combination of a knife adjusting member having graduations corresponding with difierent adjustments of the knife, a detent having a plurality of relatively differently located teeth each adapted to cooperate with one or another of the graduations on the adjusting member, means supporting the detent for rotation to bring one or another of its teeth into operative position and for movement to and from cooperative relation with the adjusting member, and means for yieldingly holding the detent in operative and inoperative positions relatively to the adjusting member.

14. In a slug trimming knife for line casting machines, the combination of a knifeadjusting member, means for holding said member in different adjusted positions, and a limit stop having means for fixing it in different positions on said member and having a handle thereon adapted to serve as means for shifting said adjusting member.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

SAMUEL E. SPERRY. 

